Then ranne I to our comlye king, But ever alacke!' sayes Aldingar, Forgive, forgive me, queene, madame, Nowe Christ forgive thee, Aldingar, 200 'Here take thy queene, our king Harryè, 205 And love her as thy life, For never had a king in Christentye, A truer and fairer wife.' King Henrye ran to claspe his queene, Then turnd to look for the tinye boye; But first he had touchd the lazar man, The lazar under the gallowes tree All whole and sounde did stand. The lazar under the gallowes tree King Henrye made him his head stewarde * 210 215 220 X. THE GABERLUNZIE MAN. A SCOTTISH SONG. Tradition informs us that the author of this song was K. James V. of Scotland. This prince (whose character for wit and libertinism bears a great resemblance to that of his gay successor Charles II.) was noted for strolling about his dominions in disguise,' and for his frequent gallantries with country girls. Two adventures of this kind he hath celebrated with his own pen, viz. in this ballad of 'The Gaberlunzie Man' and in another intitled 'The Jolly Beggar,' beginning thus: 2 Thair was a jollie beggar, and a begging he was boun, It seems to be the latter of these ballads (which was too licentious to be admitted into this collection) that is meant in the Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, where the ingenious writer remarks, that there is something very ludicrous in the young woman's distress when she thought her first favour had been thrown away upon a beggar. Bp. Tanner has attributed to James V. the celebrated ballad of 'Christ's Kirk on the Green,' which is ascribed to K. James I. in Bannatyne's MS. written in 1568: And notwithstanding that authority, the Editor of this book is of opinion that Bp. Tanner was right. K. James V. died Dec. 13th, 1542, aged 33. THE pauky auld Carle came ovir the lee Will ye lodge a silly poor man?' 'O wow!' quo he, 'were I as free, And I wad nevir think lang.' 5 10 1 sc. of a tinker, beggar, &c. Thus he used to visit a smith's daughter at Niddry, near Edinburgh.—2 Vol. II. p. 203. Ꭰ VOL II. He grew canty, and she grew fain; 'And O!' quo he, 'ann ye were as black, And awa wi' me thou sould gang.' And O!' quoth she, 'ann I were as white, Between the twa was made a plot; And fast to the bent are they gane. To speir for the silly poor man. She gaed to the bed, whair the beggar lay, For some of our geir will be gane.' Since naithings awa, as we can learn, Gae butt the house, lass, and waken my bairn, And bid her come quickly ben,' The servant gaed where the dochter lay, And fast to her goodwife can say, 'O fy gar ride, and fy gar rin, The wearyfou gaberlunzie-man.' Mean time far hind out owre the lee, Cut frae a new cheese a whang. The priving was gude, it pleas'd them baith, Quo she, 'to leave thee, I will be laith, O kend my minny I were wi' you, Aftir the gaberlunzie-mon.' 'My dear,' quo he, 'yee're yet owre yonge; And hae na learnt the beggars tonge, To follow me frae toun to toun, And carrie the gaberlunzie on.' 65 70 'Wi' kauk and keel, Ill win your bread, And spindles and whorles for them wha need, The gaberlunzie to carrie-o. 75 Ill bow my leg and crook my knee, A criple or blind they will cau me: 80 XI. ON THOMAS LORD CROMWELL. It is ever the fate of a disgraced minister to be forsaken by his friends, and insulted by his enemies, always reckoning among the latter the giddy inconstant multitude. We have here a spurn at fallen greatness from some angry partisan of declining popery, who could never forgive the downfall of their Diana, and loss of their craft. The ballad seems to have been composed between the time of Cromwell's commitment to the Tower, June 11, 1540, and that of his being beheaded July 28, following. A short interval! but Henry's passion for Catharine Howard would admit of no delay. Notwithstanding our libeller, Cromwell had many excellent qualities; his great fault was too much obsequiousness to the arbitrary will of his master; but let it be considered that this master had raised him from obscurity, and that the high-born nobility had shewn him the way in every kind of mean and servile compliance. -The original copy printed at London in 1540, is intitled, 'A newe ballade made of Thomas Crumwel, called Trolle on away.' To it is prefixed this distich by way of burthen, Trolle on away, trolle on awaye. Synge heave and howe rombelowe trolle on away. BOTH man and chylde is glad to here tell Synge trolle on away. When fortune lokyd the[e] in thy face, Thou haddyst fayre tyme, but thou lackydyst grace; 5 Thy cofers with golde thou fyllydst a pace. Synge, &c. |